TRANSIT
WILL MOVE US FORWARD
FUNDING MUST BE PROTECTED!
·
BETTER transit systems will actually BRING MONEY INTO
North Carolina and help us solve our budget woes!
- North
Carolina is slated to receive more than $600 million in federal matching funds for the two transit
systems planned for our state's most congested urban areas: The Triangle
and the Greater Charlotte regions.
The state's match is a fraction of the cost of the systems - $90
Million over three years for both systems.
- Because
transportation projects have a multiplier effect of three, this means that
the Triangle Transit Authority and
Charlotte systems will have a positive impact on North Carolina's economy
of more than $2 BILLION over the next five to seven years! Just at a
time when we need it most!
·
NO
OTHER TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT WILL YIELD THIS KIND OF RETURN!
·
TRANSIT
BRINGS OTHER KINDS OF ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS TO THE STATE
- Other
states across the country are reaping the economic benefits of transit. In
Dallas, for example, $800 million has been invested within a quarter-mile
of its rail stations, almost equal to the project’s $860 million
construction cost. This means JOBS AND ADDITIONAL TAX
REVENUES.
- In
Charlotte and Raleigh, the Chambers
of Commerce wholeheartedly support the Transit systems. These business
leaders know that TRANSIT
TRANSLATES INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT!
·
Transit
stations in many cities such
as Dallas, San Jose, Washington, DC, and San Francisco have led to major investments in joint development, and intensified
land use around transit stations.
Benefits of Transit and the Phase I Regional Rail
System
·
Ridership
on rapid transit rail EXCEEDS expectations! The public supports and uses
transit once it's built!
·
Time after
time, with new rail systems, ridership exceeds projections:
St. Louis Projected 13,000 Actual
44,000
Salt Lake City Projected 14,000 Actual 19,000
Dallas Projected 15,000 Actual
18,000
·
The major Triangle Metropolitan areas will likely lose
federal highway funding as a result of deteriorating air quality caused by traffic congestion. All
transportation models submitted to the federal government, as part of our
requirement to improve air quality conformity, include the regional rail
projections.
·
Vehicle Miles traveled outpaced
population growth in North Carolina by more than two to one last decade resulting
in deteriorating air quality. One third
of North Carolina counties received a failing grade from the American Lung
Association because of the high number of ozone alert days and three North
Carolina cities are on the list of the twenty five worst places in the country
for air quality.
·
In RTP alone, employment is projected to exceed 58,000
within one mile of the rail corridor by 2025. According to the 2000 Census, Raleigh-Durham is the nation’s
sixth fastest growing region, surpassing Buffalo, NY; Jacksonville, FL; and
Hartford, CT. From 1990 to 2000, the
region grew 39%, reaching a population of 1.2 million.
·
The 16 stations in Phase I – from Duke Medical Center to north Raleigh
- will link major activity and
employment centers, including Duke University, downtown Durham, NCCU, RTP,
Cary, the state fairgrounds and sports complexes, NC State University, downtown
Raleigh, and the state government center.
What is TTA?
TTA
is a regional public transportation authority providing a wide variety of
transit services to the greater Triangle area, including:
·
A planned regional rail system
that will serve the Triangle region
·
Regional bus lines with
connecting shuttles
·
Vanpool service bringing
commuters to major work centers
·
Rideshare or carpool matching
services
For more information on TTA or
the Phase I Regional Rail System, visit the TTA web site at www.rideTTA.org
or contact Don Carnell, Interim General Manager TTA at (919) 485-7432.